From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 761 A new round of work arrangements is about to be released.
The hovercraft glided smoothly along the pre-designed course, like a silver bird soaring over the city.

Through the wide viewing window, Leon and Ada were able to observe up close this "reborn" world and the people living in it.

In stark contrast to the oppressive, poverty-stricken, class-bound, and hopeless social atmosphere of the old Earth Federation era, what greeted their eyes was a vibrant, orderly, and hopeful picture of life.

The streets are wide and clean, shaded by green trees, and parks and leisure squares are everywhere. Children chase and play carefree in them, their laughter clear and melodious, unlike the fearful eyes that appear in the ruins and dangerous environment of the past.

The pedestrians generally wore expressions of calm and composure, their steps no longer showing the hurriedness and anxiety of the past.

Although their clothing varied in style and reflected their personal taste, the materials and workmanship showed that they were high-quality products produced under the empire's standardized production, ensuring the most basic comfort and dignity. The image of the poor people who were ragged and emaciated in the past has become a thing of the past.

At the community center, the elderly gather to play chess, chat, or use the public fitness facilities to exercise. Their eyes no longer hold the fear of the future, but only the satisfaction of enjoying a peaceful old age.

Young parents pushed strollers and chatted casually, seemingly discussing newly opened parenting classes in the community or where to go on the weekend.

The workplace is no longer a cage of exploitation and sweating.

Through the glass walls of some open-plan office areas, one can see employees collaborating in a bright, green environment. Intelligent robots and automated systems handle most of the repetitive and dangerous tasks, while humans are engaged in more creative, emotionally engaging, and complex decision-making work.

The standardized work system and generous welfare benefits implemented by the empire have made terms like "overwork" and "survival pressure" very unfamiliar to the vast majority of citizens.

The slums that once dotted the Federation planet like scars on civilization have been completely leveled, and well-planned and well-equipped affordable housing and public green spaces have sprung up on the site.

Oppression and exploitation, two malignant tumors that were once rooted in the "body" of the old Federation, have lost their breeding ground under the new system built by the Empire with advanced productivity and perfect laws after the Empire crushed the old Federation order with absolute force.

This prosperous, peaceful, and universally happy scene, in the physical universe, realizes the concept of "eternal happiness" that the silicon-based civilization attempted to promise by forcibly "sublimating" and stripping away the physical body, in a way that is more in line with the natural evolution of life.

Human Empire has proven that there is no need to upload consciousness into a cold digital prison, nor to erase the uniqueness and free will of individuals. In the real material world, through the wise use of technology, the fair distribution of resources, and the just governance of society, the vast majority of individuals can still enjoy a life full of meaning, dignity, and happiness.

The body is not the source of suffering, but rather the vessel for experiencing true beauty.

Of course, the empire was not "naive" enough to believe that human nature is inherently good and that one can rely entirely on self-awareness.

There is always a small group of people with inherently antisocial personalities who are difficult to teach. Their thought patterns and behavioral tendencies are almost impossible to hide from the empire’s vast social surveillance and data analysis network.

From childhood, their abnormal behavioral patterns, lack of emotional response, and specific traces of speech left in cyberspace will be captured and analyzed by highly intelligent big data models and quietly included in different levels of potential risk monitoring lists.

The empire does not easily convict individuals based on "thought," but once these labeled individuals begin to cross legal boundaries—

Whether it's premeditated crime, incitement of violence, or other actions that endanger public safety, sensors, monitoring nodes, and artificial intelligence analysis systems spread across both physical and cyberspace can react quickly and pinpoint the location precisely.

Often, the empire's law enforcement forces would arrive like thunderbolts, either before the crime had caused any substantial damage or just as it occurred.

This security system, based on prediction and real-time response, is like an invisible yet extremely dense net, maximizing the protection of overall social harmony and the safety of the vast majority of citizens, nipping potential threats in the bud.

Before long, the hovercraft slowly landed at its destination, and Ida parked it in the dedicated parking lot at the back.

The restaurant is situated on a seaside cliff, offering stunning ocean views.

The two stepped off the hovercraft, and the sea breeze, carrying a fresh and unique scent, caressed their faces.

As they stepped inside the restaurant, they found it decorated in a modern minimalist style, adorned with natural elements. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, there was a magnificent view of the boundless blue ocean and the golden sunset.

A pretty, pointed-eared elf waitress in a well-fitting uniform greeted them with a smile and guided them to a perfect window seat.

After taking their seats, they began to browse the holographic menu that was suspended above the dining table.

The menu is beautifully designed and lists in detail the specialty dishes from different star regions and universes of the Empire, with the origin and nutritional information of the ingredients clearly marked.

Ada selected the dishes with great interest, occasionally asking the elven waiter about the ingredients of a particular dish, to which the waiter always provided professional and detailed answers.

Lyon, on the other hand, prefers to choose some classic meat main courses.

After ordering, while waiting for the dishes to arrive, Lyon's gaze swept over the other diners in the restaurant once again.

He saw the joy of family gatherings, the sweetness of couples on dates, and the uninhibited conversations of friends.

Every face radiates genuine relaxation and joy, a state that can only be nurtured by material abundance, spiritual peace, and confidence in the future.

There were no hypocritical social obligations, no anxieties about survival, only the pure enjoyment of delicious food and time spent together.

At this point, the elf waiter brought out the dishes they had ordered one by one, and quietly introduced the characteristics of each dish.

The dishes were beautifully presented and smelled enticing.

After the waiter left, Lyon picked up his water glass, took a small sip, and kept his gaze fixed on the tranquil and magnificent horizon where the sea met the sky outside the window, as well as the harmonious and happy scene inside the restaurant.

He leaned slightly forward and whispered a sigh to Ada, who was sitting opposite him, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible emotion:

"Do you see that, Ida? Everyone here is like this."

He paused, as if searching for the right words, "It seems that the vision His Majesty desires to achieve, the goal of completely freeing humanity from poverty and oppression, and allowing every individual to pursue their own happiness and dignity within an order, is truly getting closer and closer."

His gaze returned to Ada, and in those blue eyes that had witnessed countless darkness and crises, a glimmer of hope now shone.
"Sometimes I think that perhaps, in our lifetime, we will actually be able to witness the full arrival of that ideal eternal era."

With the support of the Empire's advanced medical and biotechnology, the concept of "lifetime" has been given a length and possibility that far exceeds the imagination of the old era.

As Ada listened to his words and looked around at the scene brimming with happiness, a smile of agreement and a touch of emotion appeared on her lips.

She didn't answer immediately, but simply picked up her utensils and gently cut the food in front of her.

Ida gracefully enjoyed a bite of dessert, a mousse made from locally grown, genetically modified tropical fruits, with a delicate texture and a sweet but not cloying taste.

She put down the delicate silver spoon and picked up a napkin to gently wipe the corner of her mouth.

However, when she looked up again at the seemingly eternally tranquil blue ocean outside the window, her tone subtly shifted, a hint of gravity creeping into her voice:

"All of this is truly beautiful, as if eternal peace is within reach."

She paused slightly, her gaze becoming distant, "But there is still one largest 'room' that has never been thoroughly cleaned. Only when the dust settles there will perhaps be a time when one can truly breathe a sigh of relief."

Upon hearing this, Leon paused, his hand still holding the water glass. He understood what Ada meant, of course.

Needless to say, the ultimate shadow that looms over the highest decision-making levels of the empire, and even over the minds of all those in the core who know the inside story, is the warp.

The chaotic power that dwells within, along with those indescribable evil gods and demons that feed on the emotions of intelligent life, has always been the most unpredictable and deeply rooted threat to the human empire on its path toward a truly eternal era.

Their existence, like deadly noise in the cosmic microwave background radiation, reminds everyone that the current prosperity is not without cost.

Lyon put down the glass, making a soft "tap" sound.

He nodded, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, which was then concealed by his usual composure.

"Hmm," he replied simply, his meaning unspoken.

Some threats are not suitable for in-depth discussion in such a cozy restaurant, but their existence, like an undercurrent beneath the foundation, constantly affects the mindset of those in the know.

The checkout process was incredibly convenient; the credit points were automatically deducted from my personal terminal.

The two left the restaurant and returned to the streamlined silver hovercraft.

Where would you like to go next?

As he fastened his seatbelt, Leon asked, temporarily setting aside the heavy topic from before.

Ada operated the control panel, brought up the city map, and lightly tapped a shopping district icon that was flashing with dazzling light:
"Let's go check out the central shopping mall here. I've heard that this Earth in the universe has some jewelry made using minerals and crystals unique to this universe. The designs are very unique, and I'd like to take a look."

Upon hearing this, Lyon gave a gentle smile that said, "I knew it."

He himself prefers to read a book in the comfort of his cabin or have a drink in a quiet bar, but he has always been supportive of his wife's shopping desires.

"No problem, I'll do whatever you say." He said indulgently, "Anyway, this is our honeymoon, so being happy is the most important thing. Once we get back from the holiday, judging from the rumors, we'll probably be busy as bees again."

It is said that once we return to the main universe, the Empire will likely launch multiple new space gate exploration programs simultaneously.

The thought of the endless work and the dangers of the unknown universe that may lie ahead makes the leisure and companionship we enjoy at this moment all the more precious.

However, just as Ida set the navigation destination and the hovercraft was about to take off—

Buzz. Buzz.~
A unique and continuous vibration came from Lyon's personal mobile terminal, a special agent's cell phone.

?

The sudden notification startled the two people inside the boat, and the atmosphere instantly became somewhat tense.

"Work?" Ada frowned slightly, her tone filled with doubt and a hint of displeasure. "That shouldn't be the case. This vacation is of the highest priority. In theory, unless the Empire encounters an emergency, no one should disturb us."

Lyon also looked puzzled, and he quickly took the phone out of his inner pocket.

On the pitch-black screen, instead of the usual task codes or encryption identifiers, a contact's name that he recognized was flashing—

Mike Monardi.

Upon seeing the name, the two relaxed slightly, but their doubts deepened.

Leon pressed the answer button, and a small holographic screen immediately unfolded between the two of them.

On the screen appeared Mike's face, which usually wore a cynical smile.

But at this moment, his face was full of fatigue, his eye bags were heavy, his hair was a bit messy, and he looked haggard.

“Mike?” Leon asked in surprise. “What happened to you? You look like you just finished a fight in the ring.”

"What else could it be?"

Mike's voice was hoarse and resentful as he rubbed his temples, complaining in a completely unseemly manner:

"Isn't she your daughter?! By the Emperor's grace, her energy is practically a perpetual motion machine! What time is it? It's the middle of the night here!"

She was still energetically asking me to read her the picture book "The Imperial Expedition" for the third time. If she didn't go to sleep soon, I felt like I was about to hallucinate; mental exhaustion would definitely be a work-related injury!

The background of the scene appears to be Mike's residence, and the energetic, babbling sounds of children can be faintly heard.

Leon and Ada exchanged a glance, both with expressions of amusement and exasperation.

That's right, the couple has a daughter who is just two years old now, an age when she is full of curiosity about the world and has a lot of energy.

After much deliberation, the couple decided to entrust their daughter to their trusted friend Mike, who claimed to have "extensive experience in raising children."

Unexpectedly, this tough guy, who remained unfazed in the face of gunfire and bizarre events, was tormented so badly by a little girl.

"Alright, Mike, thank you for your hard work," Ada said, suppressing a smile. "Our trip here is almost over, we'll be back soon."

Lyon quickly added, with a hint of compensation: "Hang in there, brother. I'll treat you to drinks when we get back, the best kind, as much as you want."

"Alcohol?" Mike's eyes lit up for a moment, but were quickly overwhelmed by exhaustion. "Alright, you said you'd come back soon so I can rest a bit."

Furthermore, I've heard that once you return, a new round of work arrangements will likely be released, so we need to prepare in advance.

“Understood.” Lyon nodded. “We’ve just arrived at the last stop of our honeymoon. After we’re done sightseeing, we’ll head back. It won’t be long.”

"Um"

The call ended, and the holographic screen disappeared.

There was a moment of silence inside the hovercraft, then Ida couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head: "It seems our daughter has left a deep impression on Uncle Mike."

Lyon chuckled and sighed, setting the hovercraft's destination as a downtown shopping mall:
"Let's go, pick out a gift for our daughter too, and then our belated honeymoon can come to a perfect end."

The hovercraft ascended, merging into the city's dazzling lights and the endless stream of aerial traffic, carrying the legendary couple to another destination on their journey.
(End of this chapter)